1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to automatic configuration of a computer network. More specifically, one router of the network is automatically designated, using a priority based on a pre-established criterion, to assume a role as a designated router to determine current network configuration, establish a network topology, and then communicate that topology to all routers currently on-line.
2. Description of the Related Art
A network router is a component that connects networks. A router transfers a packet to other networks only when the packet is addressed to a station outside its network. A router can make intelligent decisions as to which network is the best route to use to send data to a distant network.
An overlay network is a “virtual network” that resides on top of another network. This “virtual network” must be configured, so that the overlay routers know of each other, as well as the destinations within the overlay network, i.e., the network topology. In conventional systems, this network configuration process is manual. Should a router go off-line, the overlay network could be incapacitated since the network topology will have changed.
Manual configuration has the disadvantage that the overlay network will not be able to respond to changing conditions such as routers coming on-line or dropping off-line, node intercommunications lost due to an interruption of an internodal communication link, etc.
Accordingly, what is missing in the conventional art is a method to automatically configure an overlay network so the overlay routers know of each other, where the other routers are, and the paths to destinations within the network. Also missing in the conventional art is a method to dynamically and automatically reconfigure the network as required by network changes.